


heart don't fail me now

by abucketofwigs



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Anastasia AU, Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fluff, Has inspiration from both the musical and the movie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-17 10:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20619599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abucketofwigs/pseuds/abucketofwigs
Summary: “Come with us. You have to. They’ll-”The door slams against the dresser pushed against it. Emma shakes her head. There’s not enough space in there for all of them.“Princesses don’t run away with kitchen girls.”Or the Anastasia AU





	heart don't fail me now

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So I was listening to "Journey to the Past" on my drive home last week and started thinking about a Greenelan Anastasia AU, so here it is. I don't think this has been done before; at least I hope not anyway. There will be some scenes added, but a lot like the original I'm pretty sure. Tbh I haven't really planned any of this story, and I don't know when I'll finish because college sucks. But anyway, thank you for reading!!! Enjoy!
> 
> Title from "Journey to the Past" from Anastasia

Eight-year-old, Grand Duchess Alyssa Greene laughs loudly, the sound carrying through the ballroom as she spins with Shelby and Kaylee. Her father does a mock ballet spin in front of them, content with joking with his daughter despite being the ruler of the entire country of Edgewater. She grins up at him, he takes her small hands into his, letting her step on the toes of his boots for them to dance. Shelby and Kaylee dance next to them from the side trying to mock how the older couples around them are dancing. Kaylee giggles loudly as Shelby dips her.

“Alyssa, come here!” Empress Greene calls from the top of the stairs.

Emperor Greene spins his daughter one last time before bowing in front of her. 

“You’re highness.”

She laughs, curtsies. “Daddy, can we dance again later?”

He grins, “Go talk to your mother first. I believe she has a surprise for you.”

“A surprise!”

Alyssa runs up the steps to the throne where her mother is sitting, a small purple box in her lap. Empress Greene smiles down at her daughter.

“Dad said you have a surprise for me.”

She scrambles into her mother’s lap. The crown she’s wearing slips down Alyssa’s head. Empress Greene laughs, straightening the crown. Alyssa’s nose scrunches.

“He did?”

Alyssa nods, taps the box. “What is it?”

Empress Greene opens the box, pulling out of it the small, green round music box. She holds a small key in her hand, wrapped through a small hole of the key is a golden chain. 

“What is that?” Alyssa leans forward, eyebrows furrowing.

Empress Greene smiles, “Watch.”

She turns the key in the music box three times before the top opens and slowly out dancing are the small figures of the Emperor and Empress. The music swirls around her and Alyssa. Alyssa instantly recognizes the melody.

Far away/long ago/glowing dim as an ember/things my heart used to know/things it years to remember/and a song someone sings

“Once upon a December.” Alyssa sings along. Her eyes light up, she quickly reaches out to hold the music box in her hands. “It’s our lullaby!”

Empress Greene nods, “That’s not the only surprise. Look at the key, Darling.”

Alyssa slides the key out from the box, watching the lid close shut on it. The key is blank on the side she’s looking at, but Empress Greene reaches out to flip it over. 

“Together...In...Paris.” Alyssa frowns, before the words click in her head. “Paris? You’re taking me to Paris?”

Empress Greene grins, “We’re going there for your birthday.”

Alyssa throws her arms around her mother hugging her tightly.

“Oh, thank you. Thank you.” She kisses her cheek before pulling away quickly. “I have to tell Kaylee and Shelby!”

She jumps down off the chair, hurrying through the couples on the dance floor before she finds her friends. Emperor Greene smiles at his wife from the dance floor. He hurries up the stairs to his wife.

“So did she like it?”

Empress Greene takes his hand, standing from the chair. She pinches the inside of his arm lightly. His eyes gleam with mischief. 

“What do you think?”

His grin widens, mirroring Alyssa’s so much. “I think our little princess might want to take the girl from the kitchen with her instead of her other friends.” Empress Greene sighs. He nudges her playfully in the ribs, “Do you want to make another bet with me on that?”

“And lose again? No, thank you.”

~

Nine-year-old, Emma Nolan presses her back closer to the wall she’s standing in front of. She grins, watching Alyssa dance clumsily with Shelby on the floor. She’s not supposed to be out of the kitchen, but sneaking five minutes away to see Alyssa never hurt anyone. She’s only had a handful of run-ins with the Princess since Barry’s been working at the castle the past two years, but they’re something close to friends. Sometimes Alyssa will sneak into the kitchen late at night past her curfew, and Barry will pretend not to see Emma pass her a cookie or two. There was one time that Alyssa made her promise to come to her room so Emma could read with her. It’s become a weekly thing since.

“You’re not supposed to be out here.”

Emma jumps. Barry Glickman, head of the kitchen, stares down at her, arms folded across her chest. Emma swallows, nervously shifting her weight.

“I was just-”

“Trying to see Grand Duchess Alyssa?”

Emma raises her eyebrows, “Maybe?”

Barry hums, his eyes finding Alyssa on the dance floor. Emma follows his gaze, a small smile playing across her lips at the way Alyssa’s flailing her arms. She’d give anything to be out there with her. 

“I think it’s time to go back to the kitchen.”

Emma frowns, “But, Barry, just-”

He gives her a look, one eyebrow arching at her. She sighs. 

“Five minutes?”

He props his hands on his hips. “Two.”

She grins, holding her hand out. He rolls her eyes but shakes her hand anyway. He disappears back down the hall toward the kitchen. Emma turns around to find Alyssa on the dance floor. Her eyes immediately lock with Alyssa’s. Alyssa grins, waves at her. Shelby and Kaylee are both too caught up in their own little world to notice. Emma smiles waves back. 

She takes a small step toward the staircase like maybe she’s going to go out onto the ballroom floor. Alyssa’s smile widens, she tilts her head like she wants to beckon Emma out there. Emma sighs, shakes her head. 

She can’t.

Kitchen girls can’t just go up to Princess’ and ask them to dance. 

~

Alyssa’s woken by her father shaking her. 

“Dad?”

He holds onto her arms, “Get up. We have to go.”

He releases her, quickly hurrying back to her bedroom door. Her mother rushes to wrap her coat around her and usher her out of bed. Her eyes never leave her father as he paces the length of the room. Alyssa’s never seen him look so old.

“What’s going on? Are we leaving for Paris early?”

She struggles to fit her shoes over her socks. A crash echoes outside her bedroom. Her mother freezes. 

“We must hurry.”

A chill runs through Alyssa. She knows that something’s wrong.

~

Barry and Trent are too busy blocking off the entrances into the kitchen and keeping the other servants calm to pay any attention to her. Emma slips through the passage in the wall, hurrying quickly down the corridor. She has to make sure Alyssa’s out. This is a revolt; there’s no easy way out for royalty like Alyssa. 

Emma has to make sure she gets out, though. Has to make sure Alyssa has a chance.

~

In what was once a night of warmth and joy turns into one of havoc and chaos. Alyssa clings to her father’s arm, her mother’s hand gripping her shoulder as they push through the crowd just behind their royal guards. Alyssa touches her neck, feeling the coolness of the chain against her fingertips. 

The knot that she’s forgotten something grows in her stomach. She searches the pockets of her coat, but it’s not there.

“My music box!” Alyssa shrieks. 

She turns, her hand sliding out of her father’s as she sprints down the hallway back to her room. Empress Greene quickly follows behind her, stumbling over the servants and guests that are trying to make it out alive. Alyssa bursts into her room, grabbing the box from her playset. Empress Greene locks the door behind her, pushing the dresser in front of it. 

Her eyes scan the room. There has to be another way out. The window? No too high. If they even did dare brave the crowd there’s no way that they’ll make it out in time. She knows this.

Alyssa hugs the music box closer to her chest. She hears the familiar click of the wall slide open. She spins; a shaky Emma stands in front of both of them. She breathless, cheeks red and hair tousled. Her eyes widen at the sight of the Empress and Alyssa.

“You have to get out.” She breathes.

Alyssa frowns. Her mother steps forward to wrap an arm around her.

“What are you-”

Emma turns around almost as abrupt as she came in.

“Through the service quarters. You’ll be safer.”

Emma quickly pushes against the space in the wall, sliding it out the way. She steps to the side, ushering Empress Greene and Alyssa in. Alyssa spins, holding onto Emma’s sleeve.

“How do you know?”

Emma swallows, the sound of the soldier’s boots getting closer. Empress Greene holds tightly onto her daughter’s hand. Alyssa’s eyes are full of fear as she stares at the kitchen girl in front of her. Emma’s hands are shaking.

“You just have to trust me, Princess.”

Emma’s heart is in her throat. She looks over her shoulder. The sound of the doorknob shaking echoes around the room. They don’t have enough time.

She pushes at Alyssa’s shoulders, trying to get her back into the secret passage. It’s the only way they’ll make it out. Emma knows it. Everyone knows it.

“You have to go.”

“Alyssa, listen to her. We must.”

Empress Greene’s eyes only meet Emma’s for a split second, but the fear in them makes Emma’s blood run cold. Alyssa’s eyes never leave Emma’s; she holds tightly to her hand. She tries to tug Emma forward, but the other girl’s feet are planted to the ground.

“Come with us. You have to. They’ll-”

The door slams against the dresser pushed against it. Emma shakes her head. There’s not enough space in there for all of them. 

“Princesses don’t run away with kitchen girls”

With one final, more forceful push, Alyssa stumbles back into the secret passage. Emma shuts the compartment just as the soldiers’ slam their way into the room. Emma holds her arms up, balling her hands into fists.

“Out the way, Girl!” One sneers. 

He lunges at her. Emma tries to fight him off. The butt of another’s gun knocks her out cold.

~

The cold wind whips around them, biting at Alyssa’s ears. A chill runs through her at the shouts and gunfire from the palace. Where is her father? He had to of made it out. He left before them. He has to be meeting them. He has to. 

“Hold on, Darling.”

Empress Greene drags Alyssa forward, knocking over and bumping into the others running from the madness of the castle. Alyssa stumbles slightly, the grip of her mother’s hand keeping her upright. She can hear the train, smell the fuel from it. 

“I’m coming,” Alyssa says. 

She stumbles again, just as someone pulls Empress Greene onto the train. Alyssa regains her footing, keeps her hold. 

“Hold on, Alyssa, hold on.”

The train picks up speed. Her grip on her mother’s hand loosens.

“I got you,” Alyssa yells.

Empress Greene grabs ahold of her wrist. The train whistles. 

“I got you.” She repeats. 

Alyssa’s feet feel like lead, dragging her down. Her hand slips from her mother’s and with a terrified scream, she falls onto the tracks. In the chaos, no one notices the Grand Duchess. 

~

“Kid, hey, Kid.”

Emma groans, the room she’s in blurrier than she remembers. She looks up, Barry’s face slowly coming into focus. He frowns, pushing hair away from her eyes.

“You really know how to give someone a heart attack.”

She nods, pressing her palms against the floor to stand up. She winces at the sharp pain that shoots through her wrist. 

“I think it’s broken.” Barry helps her stand, “Let’s find someone to look at it, okay?”

She nods, glancing back at the wall. The music box on the floor catches her eyes. She walks toward it. 

“What’s that?”

She holds it delicately in the palm of her hand. Alyssa came back for it for some reason. It must’ve meant a lot to her.

“It was her’s.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!! Hopefully I'll get chapter two up soon!
> 
> As always my Tumblr is abucketofwigs


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